This invention relates generally to an arterial filter and method of filtering blood flowing within a lumen. More particularly, this invention relates to an active arterial embolization filter and method for actively collecting and removing emboli from a vessel being treated.
The need for an arterial barrier or filter to prevent embolization of particles down-stream from the area being treated in the arterial system is well known, e.g., in percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA). This need became especially clear and more urgent as the procedure of PTA (catheter based) treatment of the carotid arteries became more common. One of the major risks of stenting in the carotid arteries is the danger of emboli drifting downstream from the area being treated and causing transient ischemic attack(TIA). Several conventional devices have been utilized to try and prevent this danger to the patient. These devices are passive devices. One such conventional device is a balloon mounted on a catheter or on a guide wire that is inflated distal to the lesion being treated. Another such conventional device is an umbrella like filter placed distal to the lesion being treated. A major shortcoming of these conventional filters is that these conventional filters or barriers may greatly reduce, or even block, the downstream flow of blood from the treated artery to the brain, e.g., in the carotid artery. Another shortcoming of these devices is that they are passive.
It is an object of this invention to provide a device and method for actively removing emboli from an arterial bloodstream.
It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus for disposing an active embolization filter device in the target area of a lumen comprising a motor having a proximal end and a distal end. The motor has a longitudinal bore and is provided with a motor friction area disposed within the longitudinal bore adapted to permit selective movement of the motor around the longitudinal axis of a guide wire disposed in the longitudinal bore. A guide wire having a longitudinal axis is disposed within the longitudinal bore and the guide wire and the longitudinal bore are sized and adapted to impart friction between the friction area of the motor and the guide wire in an amount sufficient to permit the motor to change position relative to the guide wire by rotating around the longitudinal axis of the guide wire when the motor is energized. A plurality of selectively deployable paddles is attached to the motor and are adapted for selective movement between a first collapsed or stored position when the motor is not energized to a second deployed position when the motor is energized. The paddles are further adapted to initiate a spiral blood flow in blood flowing through a lumen to deflect emboli towards the internal wall of the lumen when the paddles are in the second deployed position. In an especially preferred embodiment the paddles are adapted to move to the second or deployed position by centrifugal force imparted to them when the motor causes them to rotate around the longitudinal axis of a guide wire. A thrombus-collecting gutter having a closed bottom end and an open top end is attached to the motor and is adapted for selective movement between a first stored position when the motor is not energized to a second deployed position when the motor is energized. The gutter is disposed distal to the paddles with the open top end of the gutter disposed between the closed bottom end of the gutter and the paddles when the gutter is disposed in the deployed second position. The gutter is sized so that when it is in the second or deployed position the outer wall of the gutter is in contact with the inner wall of the lumen being treated. Means are provided for selectively energizing the motor and activating the motor friction area.
It is still another object of this invention to provide an apparatus for disposing an active embolization filter in the target area of a lumen comprising a cylindrically shaped housing having a proximal end and a distal end. The housing has a longitudinal bore adapted to permit selective movement of the housing along the longitudinal axis of a guide wire disposed in the longitudinal bore. A guide wire having a longitudinal axis is disposed within the longitudinal bore. A selectively deployable spiral blood flow initiator is attached to the housing and is adapted for selective movement between a first stored position and a second deployed position, and is adapted to initiate a spiral blood flow of blood flowing through a lumen and deflect emboli towards the internal wall of the lumen when the spiral blood flow initiator is in the second deployed position. In a preferred emodiment the spiral blood flow initiator is moved from the first stored position to the second deployed position by centrifugal force imparted by a rotating motor. A thrombus-collecting-gutter having a closed bottom end and an open top end and adapted for selective movement between a first stored position and a second deployed position is disposed on the guide wire distal to the spiral blood flow initiator. When the spiral blood flow initiator and the gutter are in the deployed second position the open top end of the gutter is disposed between the closed bottom end of the gutter and the spiral blood flow initiator. Means are provided for selectively moving the spiral blood flow initiator and the thrombus collecting gutter between the first stored position and the second deployed position.